Requirements for Dental Assistants in Alabama
Through: Kevin Henry
Do you want to become a dental assistant or are you moving as a current dental assistant? Be sure to check the Alabama dental assistant requirements to see if you are still qualified in the state to practice.
Every state has different requirements for dental assistants, here are the levels and positions allowed for dental assistants in Alabama.
Levels of Dental Assistants in Alabama
1. Requirements for Dental Assistants in Alabama
A dental assistant in Alabama may perform basic assistive dental procedures specified by the state dental practice law under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist.
Direct supervision is defined as the type of supervision where a dentist is in the dental office or treatment facility, personally diagnoses and treats the condition to be treated, personally consents to the procedures, and remains in the dental office or treatment facility while the procedures are performed by the dental assistant, and evaluates their performance before the patient is discharged.
There are no education or training requirements for this level of dental care in Alabama. It is not known how many dental assistants practice in Alabama as they are not regulated or tracked.
Alabama Radiography Requirements
According to the thank youthere are no requirements for radiography for dental assistants in Alabama and all dental assistants may legally use dental X-ray equipment and perform radiographic procedures.
Allowed and Prohibited Positions for Dental Assistants in Alabama
According to the thank youhere are the procedures that dental assistants in Alabama can and cannot perform:
Alabama Dental Assistant Jobs
Under direct supervision as stated above, Alabama Dental Assistants permitted functions:
- Preliminary mapping and inspection of the oral cavity
- Inserting and Removing Gingival Retraction Materials
- Remove intraoral sutures (excluding wire sutures)
- Apply topical fluoride
- Take dental x-rays or digital images
- Provide oral hygiene instructions, including plaque staining, flossing, brushing, and caries susceptibility testing
- Install and remove the rubber dam
- Pre-fit and pre-contour orthodontic appliances, extraoral or intraoral for final fitting by the dentist
- Place cavity liners and bases (excluding covering of exposed pulp tissues)
- Place and remove periodontal bandages
- Record and record the history, blood pressure, pulse and oral temperature
- Contour stainless steel or chrome crowns, but cannot cement them
- Make prints for diagnostic casts or opposing casts
- Insert, wedge and remove matrices for operative dentistry
- Making final impressions for removable and fixed dentures, orthodontic appliances, retainers, sleep apnea treatment aids or anti-snoring aids, and medicine/bleach trays; however, before these impressions can be used for the manufacture of prostheses and devices, the dentist must:
examine and approve such displays for accuracy - Build and install temporary crowns (excluding stainless steel crowns placed with the intention of reasonable durability)
- Construct and remove by hand only intermediate restorations (intermediate restorations are all placed restorations while a more permanent restoration is being completed)
- Apply local anesthetic
- Assist in the administration of N2O and O2
- Remove excess cement with hand instruments around permanent dental restorations and orthodontic appliances
- Placing and removing alveolar socket dressings
- Apply local oxygenators (excluding endodontic therapy)
- Apply anti-inflammatory agents
- Applying astringents
Features Banned for Dental Assistants in Alabama
- Remove extrinsic stains, deposits and calcium deposits from teeth
- Install pit and fissure sealing
- Place stainless steel crowns with the intention of reasonable durability
- Applying Oxygenating Agents During Endodontic Therapy
- Remove Wire Sutures
- Covering of exposed pulp tissues
- gingival curettage
- Carrot planing
- Polish completed restorations
- Insert Absorbable Chlorhexidine Chips
- Place topical or subgingival antimicrobial or antibacterial agents
- Periodontal probing
- Fitting, building, supplying or repairing a denture, bridge, aid or structure worn in the mouth
- Repair or fill cavities
- Give interpretations or readings or X-rays or X-rays
- Administer anesthetics
- Teeth whitening
Resource Links for Dental Assistants in Alabama: